Adrian comes from the Latin names Adrianus or Hadrianus. The name most likely originated from the river Adria, which was named after the Venetic and Illyrian word "adur," meaning "sea" or "water."

The river Adria was the main path of the Po River into the Adriatic Sea until the 8th century BC. It stopped existing before the 1st century BC. Hecataeus of Miletus, a Greek writer who lived around 550–476 BC, claimed that the Etruscan harbor city of Adria and the Adriatic Sea were both named after the river. Emperor Hadrian’s family name was inspired by the city or region of Adria/Hadria, now called Atri in Picenum, which was likely an Etruscan or Greek colony of the older harbor city with the same name.

Many saints and six popes have used this name, including Adrian IV, the only English pope, and Adrian VI, the only Dutch pope. As an English name, Adrian has been used since the Middle Ages.

Religion

• Pope Adrian I (c. 700–795)
• Pope Adrian II (c. 792–872)
• Pope Adrian III (c. 830–885)
• Pope Adrian IV (c. 1100–1159), English pope
• Pope Adrian V (c. 1205–1276)
• Pope Adrian VI (1459–1523)
• Adrian of Batanea (died 308), Christian martyr and saint
• Adrian of Canterbury (died 710), scholar and Abbot of St Augustine's Abbey in Canterbury
• Adrian of Castello (1460–1521), Italian cardinal and writer
• Adrian of May (died 875), Scottish saint from the Isle of May, martyred by Vikings
• Adrian of Moscow (1627–1700), last pre-revolutionary Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia
• Adrian of Nicomedia (died 306), martyr and member of the Herculian Guard under Emperor Galerius Maximian
• Adrian of Ondrusov (died 1549), Russian Orthodox saint and wonder-worker
• Adrian of Poshekhonye (died 1550), Russian Orthodox saint, hegumen of Dormition monastery in Yaroslavl region
• Adrian of Transylvania (active between 1183 and 1201), Hungarian bishop and chancellor
• Adrian Fortescue (martyr) (1476–1539), English courtier at Henry VIII's court, declared a martyr by the Roman Catholic Church
• Adrian Gouffier de Boissy (1479–1523), French Roman Catholic bishop and cardinal
• Adrian Kivumbi Ddungu (1923–2009), Ugandan Roman Catholic bishop
• Adrian Leo Doyle (born 1936), Australian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church

Government and politics

• Adrian Amstutz (born 1953), Swiss politician
• Adrian Arnold (1932–2018), American politician
• Adrian Bailey (born 1945), British politician
• Adrian Baillie (1898–1947), British politician
• Adrian A. Basora (born 1938), US Ambassador to the Czech Republic
• Adrian Benepe (born 1957), American Commissioner of the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation
• Adrian Bennett (1933–2006), Australian politician
• Adrian Benjamin Bentzon (1777–1827), Norwegian Governor of the British West Indies
• Adrian Berry, 4th Viscount Camrose (1937–2016), British hereditary peer and journalist
• Adrian P. Burke (1904–2000), American judge and politician
• Adrián Fernández Cabrera (born 1967), Mexican politician
• Adrian Cioroianu (born 1967), Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs
• Adrian Cochrane-Watson (born 1967), Irish politician
• Adrian Davis (civil servant), British economist and civil servant
• Adrian Delia (born 1969), Maltese politician
• Adrian Fenty (born 1970), American politician, mayor of Washington D.C.
• Adrian Flook (born 1963), British politician
• Adrian Foster (politician), Canadian politician
• Adrian Hasler (born 1964), Prime Minister of Liechtenstein
• Adrian Knatchbull-Hugessen (1891–1976), Canadian lawyer and senator
• Adrian Kubicki (born 1987), Consul General of the Republic of Poland in New York City
• Adrián Vázquez Lázara (born 1982), Spanish politician
• Adrian Molin (1880–1942), Swedish writer and political activist
• Adrian Năstase (born 1950), Romanian politician
• Adrian Neritani, former Permanent Representative of Albania to the United Nations
• Adrián Rivera Pérez (born 1962), Mexican politician
• Adrian Piccoli (born 1970), Australian politician
• Adrian Cola Rienzi (1905–1972), Trinidad and Tobago trade unionist, civil rights activist, politician, and lawyer
• Adriano Sánchez Roa (born 1956), Dominican politician
• Adrian Rurawhe (born 1961), New Zealand politician
• Adrian M. Smith (born 1970), American politician
• Adrian Sanders (born 1959), British politician
• Adrian Severin (born 1954), Romanian politician and Member of the European Parliament
• Adrian Smith (politician) (born 1970), American politician
• Adrian Stokes (courtier) (1519–1586), English politician
• Adrian Stoughton (1556–1614), English politician
• Adrian Zuckerman (born 1956), US Ambassador to Romania

Academia

• Adrian Albert (1905–1972), American mathematician
• Adrian Baddeley (born 1955), Australian scientist
• Adrian Bailey (academic), American scholar
• Adrian Bejan (born 1948), Romanian-born professor of mechanical engineering at Duke University
• Adrian Beverland (1650–1716), Dutch philosopher and legal expert who moved to England
• Adrian Bird (born 1947), British geneticist
• Adrian Bowyer (born 1952), British engineer, creator of the RepRap project
• Adrian John Brown (1852–1919), British professor and pioneer
• Adrian David Cheok (born 1971/1972), Australian electrical engineer and professor
• Adrian Curaj (born 1958), Romanian engineer
• Adrian Darby (born 1937), British conservationist and academic
• Adrian Goldsworthy (born 1969), British historian and author who writes mostly about ancient Roman history
• Adrian Hardy Haworth (1767–1833), English entomologist, botanist, and carcinologist
• Adrian Ioana (born 1981), Romanian mathematician
• Adrian Mihai Ionescu, Romanian professor
• Adrian Ioviță (born 1954), Romanian-Canadian mathematician
• Adrian Jacobsen (1853–1947), Norwegian ethnologist and explorer
• Adrian Kaehler, American scientist, engineer, entrepreneur, inventor, and author
• Adrian Liston (born 1980), British immunologist and author
• Adrian Paterson, South African scientist and engineer
• Adrián Recinos (1886–1962), Guatemalan historian, Mayanist, and diplomat
• Adrian Smith (born 1946), British statistician
• Adrian Stephens (1795–1876), English engineer, inventor of the steam whistle
• Adrian V. Stokes (1945–2020), British computer scientist
• Adrian Webb (born 1943), British academic and public administrator
• Adrian Zenz (born 1974), German anthropologist

Military

• Adrian Becher (1897–1957), British Army officer and cricketer
• Adrian von Bubenberg (1434–1479), Bernese knight, military commander and mayor
• Adrian Carton de Wiart (1880–1963), Belgian-born British Army lieutenant-general awarded the Victoria Cross
• Adrian Cole (RAAF officer) (1895–1966), Australian World War I flying ace
• Adrian Johns (born 1951), English governor of Gibraltar and former Royal Navy vice-admiral
• Adrian Dietrich Lothar von Trotha (1848–1920), German military commander in Africa
• Adrian Marks (1917–1998), United States Navy pilot
• Adrian Consett Stephen (1894–1918), Australian artillery officer and playwright
• Adrian Warburton (1918–1944), British Second World War pilot
• Adrián Woll (1795–1875), French Mexican general during the Texas Revolution and the Mexican–American War

Sports

• Adrian Amos (born 1993), American football player
• Adrian Arrington (born 1985), American football player
• Adrian Awasom (born 1983), Cameroon-born American football player
• Adrian Baird (born 1979), Canadian football player
• Adrian Baril (1898–1961), American football player
• Adrian Battles (born 1987), American football player
• Adrian Breen (quarterback) (born 1965), American football player
• Adrian Burk (1927–2003), American football player
• Adrian Clarke (born 1991), Canadian football player
• Adrian Clayborn (born 1988), American football player
• Adrian Colbert (born 1993), American football player
• Adrian Cooper (born 1968), American football player
• Adrian Davis (Canadian football) (born 1981), Canadian football player
• A. J. Davis (cornerback, born 1983), American football player known as A.J. Davis
• Adrian Dingle (American football) (born 1977), American football player
• Adrian Ealy (born 1999), American football player
• Adrian Ford (1904–1977), American football player
• Adrian Grady (born 1985), American football player
• Adrian Hamilton (born 1987), American football player
• Adrian Hardy (born 1970), American football player
• Adrian Hubbard (born 1992), American football player
• Adrian Jones (offensive guard) (born 1981), American football player
• Adrian Killins (born 1998), American football player
• Adrian Klemm (born 1977), American football player and coach
• Adrian Madise (born 1980), American football player
• Adrian Magee (born 1996), American football player
• Adrian Martinez (American football) (born 2000), American football player
• Adrian Mayes (born 1980), American football player
• Adrian Moten (born 1988), American football player
• Adrian Murrell (born 1970), American football player
• Adrian Peterson (American football, born 1979), American football player
• Adrian Peterson (born 1985), American football player
• Adrian Phillips (born 1992), American football player
• Adrian Forbes (born 1979), English footballer
• Adrian Foster (footballer) (born 1971), English footballer and manager
• Adrián Fuentes (born 1996), Spanish footballer
• Adrián Gabbarini (born 1985), Argentine footballer
• Adrian Dan Găman (born 1978), Romanian footballer
• Adrian Gheorghiu (born 1981), Romanian footballer
• Adrian Gîdea (born 2000), Romanian footballer
• Adrián González (footballer, born 1976), Argentine footballer
• Adrián González (footballer, born 1988), Spanish footballer
• Adrián González (footballer, born 1995), Argentine footballer
• Adrián González (footballer, born 2003), Mexican footballer
• Adrián Hernán González (born 1976), Argentine footballer
• Adrián Goransch (born 1999), Mexican footballer
• Adrian Grbić (born 1996), Austrian footballer
• Adrian Grigoruță (born 1983), Romanian footballer
• Adrian Gryszkiewicz (born 1999), Polish footballer
• Adrián Gunino (born 1989), Uruguayan footballer
• Adrian Hajdari (born 2000), Macedonian footballer
• Adrian Aleksander Hansen (born 2001), Norwegian footballer
• Adrian Heath (born 1961), English footballer and manager
• Adrian Henger (born 1996), Polish footballer
• Adrián José Hernández (born 1983), Spanish footballer, known as Pollo
• Adrián Horváth (born 1987), Hungarian footballer
• Adrian Iencsi (born 1975), Romanian footballer and manager
• Adrian Ilie (born 1974), Romanian footballer
• Adrian Ilie (footballer, born 1981), Romanian footballer
• Adrian Ionescu (footballer, born 1958), Romanian footballer
• Adrian Ionescu (footballer, born 1985), Romanian footballer
• Adrián Fernández (footballer, born 1980), Argentine footballer
• Adrián Fernández (footballer, born 1992), Paraguayan footballer
• Adrian Foncette (born 1988), Trinidadian

Arts and entertainment

• Adrian Adlam (born in 1963), British violinist and conductor
• Adrian Aeschbacher (1912–2002), Swiss classical pianist
• Adrian Alandy (born in 1980), Filipino actor and model
• Adrian Allinson (1890–1959), British painter, potter, and engraver
• Adrián Alonso (born in 1994), Mexican actor
• Adrian Alphona, Canadian comic book artist
• Adrian Anantawan (born in 1986), Canadian violinist
• Adrian Augier, St. Lucian poet and producer
• Adrian Bică Bădan (born in 1988), Romanian footballer
• Adrian Baker (born in 1951), English singer, songwriter, and record producer
• Adrian Bărar (1960–2021), Romanian guitarist and composer
• Adrian Barber (1938–2020), English musician and producer
• Adrian Batten (1591–1637), English organist
• Adrian Bawtree (born in 1968), English composer and organist
• Adrian Beaumont (born in 1937), British composer, conductor, and professor
• Adrian Beers (1916–2004), British double bass player and teacher
• Adrian Belew (born in 1949), American guitarist, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer
• Adrian Biddle (1952–2005), English cinematographer
• Adrian Blevins (born in 1964), American poet
• Adrian Borland (1957–1999), English singer, songwriter, guitarist, and record producer
• Adrian Boult (1889–1983), English conductor
• Adrian Brown (1929–2019), British director and poet
• Adrian Brown (born in 1949), British conductor
• Adrian Brunel (1892–1958), English film director and screenwriter
• Adrian Bustamante (born in 1981), American actor
• Adrián Caetano (born in 1969), Uruguayan-Argentine film director, producer, and screenplay writer
• Adrian Carmack (born in 1969), American video game artist
• Adrián Carrio (born in 1986), Spanish pianist
• Adrian Chiles (born in 1967), British television and radio presenter
• Adrian Clarke (photographer), English photographer
• Adrian Clarke (poet), British poet
• Adrian Conan Doyle (1910–1970), English race-car driver, big-game hunter, explorer, and writer
• Adrian Dingle (artist) (1911–1974), Welsh-Canadian painter and comic book artist
• Adrian Dunbar (born in 1958), Northern Ireland actor
• Adrian Edmondson (born in 1957), better known as Ade Edmondson, English actor, comedian, director, writer, and musician
• Adrian Enescu (1948–2016), Romanian composer
• Adrian Erlandsson (born in 1970), Swedish heavy metal drummer
• Adrian, explain our friend group. 2025 internet meme
• Adrian Fisher (musician) (1952–2000), former guitarist for Sparks (band)
• Adrian Gaxha (born in 1988), Albanian singer and songwriter
• Adrian Gheorghe (born in 1977), Romanian politician
• Adrian Gheorghe (born in 1983), Romanian footballer
• Adrian Gheorghe (born in 1988), Romanian footballer
• Adrian Gheorghe (born in 1990), Romanian footballer
• Adrian Gheorghe (born in 1992), Romanian footballer
• Adrian Gheorghe (born in 1993), Romanian footballer
• Adrian Gheorghe (born in 1994), Romanian footballer
• Adrian Gheorghe (born in 1995), Romanian footballer
• Adrian Gheorghe (born in 1996), Romanian footballer
• Adrian Gheorghe (born in 1997), Romanian footballer
• Adrian Gheorghe (born in 1998), Romanian footballer
• Adrian Gheorghe (born in 1999), Romanian footballer
• Adrian Gheorghe (born in 2000), Romanian footballer
• Adrian Gheorghe (born in 2001), Romanian footballer
• Adrian Gheorghe (born in 2002), Romanian footballer
• Adrian Gheorghe (born in 2003), Romanian footballer
• Adrian Gheorghe (born in 2004), Romanian footballer
• Adrian Gheorghe (born in 2005), Romanian footballer
• Adrian Gheorghe (born in 2006), Romanian footballer
• Adrian Gheorghe (born in 2007), Romanian footballer

Criminals

• Adrian Gonzalez (kidnapper) (born 2000), an American kidnapper
• Adrián Gómez González, a Mexican drug lord
• Adrián Arroyo Gutiérrez (born 1976), a Costa Rican serial killer and rapist, known as The Southern Psychopath
• Adrian Lim (1942–1988), a Singaporean serial killer
• Adrian Stroe (born 1959), a Romanian serial killer

Other

• Adrian Arendt (born 1952), Romanian sailor
• Adrian Bancker (1703–1772), American silversmith
• Adrian Beecroft (born 1947), British venture capitalist
• Adrian Bell (1901–1980), English ruralist journalist, crossword compiler, and farmer
• Adrian Bellamy (born 1941/1942), British businessman
• Adrian Block (1567–1627), Dutch explorer of the American East Coast
• Adrian Brown (archivist) (born 1969), British archivist
• Adrian Brown (journalist), Australian journalist
• Adrian Cheng (born 1979), Hong Kong entrepreneur and business executive
• Adrian Cioroianu (born 1967), Romanian historian, politician, journalist, and essayist
• Adrian Cronauer (1938–2018), American former lawyer and radio speaker
• Adrian Diel (1756–1839), German physician
• Adrian Finighan (born 1964), British journalist
• Adrian Frutiger (1928–2015), Swiss typeface designer
• Adrian Fulford (born 1953), British judge
• Adrian Geiges (born 1960), German writer and journalist
• Adrian Anthony Gill (1954–2016), British writer and critic
• Adrian Hanauer (born 1966), American businessman and minority owner and general manager of the Seattle Sounders FC
• Adrian Holovaty (born 1981), American web developer, journalist, and entrepreneur
• Adrian van Hooydonk (born 1964), Dutch automobile designer
• Adrian Albert Jurgens (1886–1953), South African philatelist
• Adrian Kantrowitz (1918–2008), American cardiac surgeon
• Adrian Kashchenko (1858–1921), Ukrainian writer, historian of the Zaporozhian Cossacks
• Adrian Knox (1863–1932), Australian judge
• Adrian Künzi (born 1973), Swiss banker
• Adrian Lamo (born 1981), Colombian-American threat analyst and "grey hat" hacker
• Adrian Long, British civil engineer
• Adrian Mikhalchishin (born 1954), Ukrainian chess grandmaster
• Adrian von Mynsicht (1603–1638), German alchemist
• Adrian Parr (born 1967), Australian philosopher and cultural critic
• Adrian Păunescu (1943–2010), Romanian poet, journalist, and politician
• Adrian Plass (born 1948), English author and speaker
• Adrian Rogers (1931–2005), American pastor, conservative, and author
• Adrian Andrei Rusu (born 1951), Romanian medieval archaeologist
• Adrian Anthony Spears (1910–1991), American judge
• Adrián Steckel, Mexican businessman
• Adrian Stephen (1883–1948), British author and psychoanalyst, brother of Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell
• Adrian Swire (1932–2018), billionaire British heir and businessman
• Adrian Ursu (born 1968), Romanian journalist
• Adrian Weale (born 1964), English writer, journalist, illustrator, and photographer
• Adrian Wewer (1836–1914), German-born American architect and Franciscan friar
• Adrian White (businessman) (born 1942), British businessman, founder of Biwater
• Adrian Zecha (born 1933), Indonesian hotelier

Fictional characters

• Adrien Agreste, a superhero and main male character in Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir
• Adrian Blenderbland, a character in The Millionairess, a play by George Bernard Shaw
• Adrian Chase, a superhero in DC Comics
• Adrian Corbo, also known as Flex, a superhero in Marvel Comics
• Adrian "Fletch" Fletcher, a character in the British medical dramas Casualty and Holby City
• Adrian Ivashkov, a character in Vampire Academy and Bloodlines by Richelle Mead
• Adrian Leverkühn, the main character in Doctor Faustus by Thomas Mann
• Adrian Mole, the main character in The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole
• Adrian Monk, the main character in the television series Monk
• Adrian Montague, the main character in The Nobleman's Guide to Scandal and Shipwrecks by Mackenzi Lee
• Adrian Pimento, a recurring character in Brooklyn Nine-Nine
• Adrian Shephard, the main character in the Half-Life expansion Half-Life: Opposing Force
• Adrian Fahrenheit Ţepeş, also known as Alucard, a character in the Castlevania video games
• Adrian Toomes, also known as Vulture, a villain in Marvel Comics
• Adrian Veidt, also known as Ozymandias, a character in the Watchmen graphic novel series
• Adrian Woodhouse, the child of Satan in the film Rosemary's Baby
• Adrian, a character in Shakespeare's play Coriolanus
• Adrian, a son of Satan in Little Nicky

• Adrian Andrews, a character in Ace Attorney from Justice for All
• Adrian Hall, a character in the soap opera Home and Away
• Adrian Pennino, the wife of Rocky Balboa in the Rocky series
• Adrian Seidelman, a character in the Cybersix comic and television series
• Adrian, a mental woman in The Crush (1993)